159
FXUS64 KMAF 222320
AFDMAF

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Midland/Odessa TX
520 PM CST Mon Dec 22 2025

...New AVIATION...

.KEY MESSAGES...
Updated at 518 PM CST Mon Dec 22 2025

- Unseasonably warm temperatures continue through Saturday.

- A cold front Saturday night and Sunday will bring temperatures
  closer to normal Sunday and Monday, as well as a slight chances
  of showers, mainly north of I-20.

&&

.SHORT TERM...
(This afternoon through Tuesday night)
Issued at 245 PM CST Mon Dec 22 2025

WV imagery this afternoon shows the upper ridge centered over
Chihuahua, and extending east out into the Gulf, leaving West Texas
and Southeast New Mexico under generally light zonal flow aloft.  At
the surface, southwesterly winds are increasing over the higher
terrain, while return flow is increasing in the east, and this will
result in a respectable recovery over yesterday as highs top out a
pleasant 18-20 F above climatology.

Tonight, the upper ridge shifts northeast.  A warm front is forecast
to push up through the lower Trans Pecos, resulting in stratus and
patchy fog.  Aloft, a 25 kt LLJ will keep the boundary layer mixed,
keeping overnight minimums almost 15 F above normal.

Tuesday, the upper ridge continues shifting east, but thicknesses
stay about the same as today, resulting in a carbon copy of today.

Tuesday night, return flow will once again advect abundant Gulf
moisture up the Pecos River Valley and into the Permian Basin,
w/CPMs suggesting fog could be a little denser/widespread.  This
will combine w/increasing clouds from the west and a 35 kt LLJ to
add ~ 2-3 F to tonight`s lows.

&&

.LONG TERM...
(Wednesday through Sunday)
Issued at 245 PM CST Mon Dec 22 2025

The extended starts out rather uneventful, w/an upper trough digging
down the west coast into the weekend, shunting the upper ridge
farther east.  Despite this, thicknesses won`t vary much, keeping
highs well-above normal.  Highs Christmas will top out over 20 F
above normal on average.  Attm, Friday looks to be the warmest day
this forecast, w/highs plateauing just a little warmer than
Christmas.

Unfortunately, this all comes to an end Saturday night/Sunday, when
a strong cold front intrudes upon the area, taking highs down to
around normal Sunday afternoon, and maybe even a degree below on
Monday.  Attm, the front looks strong enough for high gap winds
through KGDP Sunday morning.  The upside of the front will be a
slight chance of rain and/or snow showers late Saturday night
through Sunday night over the northern zones.  If this pans out,
it`ll be the first precipitation West Texas and Southeast New Mexico
has seen in quite some time.  Unfortunately, QPF attm looks like
little more than a spittance. Stay tuned...

&&

.AVIATION...
(00Z TAFS)
Issued at 518 PM CST Mon Dec 22 2025

Light (<10kts) southerly to southwesterly winds continue for
tonight. VFR conditions prevail. MVFR to IFR CIGs are expected to
develop east of MAF/FST Tuesday morning.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
Big Spring               50  78  53  78 /   0   0   0   0
Carlsbad                 39  77  39  77 /   0   0   0   0
Dryden                   48  77  51  77 /   0   0   0   0
Fort Stockton            46  80  48  81 /   0   0   0   0
Guadalupe Pass           47  71  47  70 /   0   0   0   0
Hobbs                    40  78  43  76 /   0   0   0   0
Marfa                    37  77  37  75 /   0   0   0   0
Midland Intl Airport     49  77  52  76 /   0   0   0   0
Odessa                   49  76  52  75 /   0   0   0   0
Wink                     39  76  43  77 /   0   0   0   0

&&

.MAF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
TX...None.
NM...None.
&&

$$

SHORT TERM...99
LONG TERM....99
AVIATION...93